CURRENCY

International phone code

Official language

Independence

August, 24, 1991

Government

semi-presidential unitary state * Kiev was the official English writing of the capital of Ukraine around the world for quite some time. Official language in Ukraine now is Ukrainian. In Ukrainian it sounds more like "Kyiv

Time zone

GMT+2 (UTC+2), Summer (DST) - EEST (UTC+3) (the watches are set one hour forward in the last week of March and one hour backward in the last week of October)

Average summer temperature

is from +18° to +25° C (from +64.4° F to +77° F), although maximum temperature can be more than +35° C (+95° F)

Best time to visit Ukraine

summer, late spring and early autumn

Electricity

the standard electric voltage in Ukraine is 220 volts

Mobile standard

GSM 900/1800, CDMA, UMTS

Internet top-level domain

.ua

Climate

moderately continental, except for Southern Crimea, where the climate is subtropical, of the Mediterranean type. The Carpathian climate is also mild, with warm winter and rainy summer

Average winter temperature

is from -8° to -12° C (from +17.6° F to +3° F). In the Southern regions average winter temperature is 0° C (+32° F)

Location

Central-Eastern Europe, part of the East-European plain, between 44''20' and 52''20' N and 22''5' and 41''15'E

Interesting facts about Ukraine

Ukraine is the largest state in Europe
Ukraine, the largest state situated entirely in Europe, appeared on the map of the world in 1991. It was quickly recognized by the international community. It has an area of 603,628 km2, making it the largest contiguous country on the European continent

Ukraine is geographic center of Europe
The geographic center of Europe is on the territory of Ukraine not far from Rakhiv in Zakarpatia oblast. As far back as 1887, experts of Austria Hungary had determined this point, stele and land-surveying sign marking it. In Latin, the following words were engraves there: LОСUS РЕRЕNNІS. Dilicentissime cum lіbеllа lіbrаtіоnіs guае еst іп Аustrіа еt Нungаrіа соnfесtа сum mеnsurа grаdum mеrіdіоnаlіum еt раrаllеlоumіеrum Еurореum. МD ССС LХХХVІІ, "that translated state such a thing: “Permanent, exact, and eternal place. Very precisely, using special apparatus made in Austria and Hungary, with scale of meridians and parallels, set the Center of Europe. 1887.”

Ukraine is one of the largest grain exporters in the world
As of 2011 Ukraine was the worlds 3rd largest grain exporter

The deepest metro station in the world (105 meters)
Arsenalnaya Metro Station located in Kiev is the deepest in the world (105 meters). The station was built in 1960, very close to the House of Parliament. According to some reports, the tunnels near Arsenalnaya house secret shelters built specially for the political elite.

Ukraine is a 4th educated nation in the world
Ukraine is a 4th educated nation in the world: 99.4% of Ukrainians aged 15 and over can read and write. 70% of adult Ukrainians have a secondary or higher education. Ukraine has about 150 colleges and universities, of which the most important are at Kiev, Lviv, and Kharkiv. There are about 70,000 scholars in 80 research institutes. The current heavyweight boxing champions of the world, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko from Ukraine, have doctorate degrees.
The world’s heaviest aircraft is An-225 Mriya is created by the Kyiv-based Antonov design bureau. The plane was designed to airlift space shuttles and rocket boosters, however is now carrying oversized payloads.

The third most visited McDonald’s in the world
The third most visited McDonald’s in the world is located in Kiev, near the train station. This restaurant has always been in the top five most crowded McDonald’s in the world.

Ukraine, on its own initiative, refused the third largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world
Ukraine, on its own initiative, refused the third largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world. At the moment of the declaration of independence, Ukraine had over a thousand nuclear warheads and the third largest nuclear potential after Russia and America. The warheads and missiles were given to Russia, silos were destroyed. In response, Ukraine received the money for disarmament, plus security guarantees from the nuclear powers

The first university in Eastern Europe (1576)
The National University of Ostroh Academy is the successor of Ostroh Slavic, Greek and Latin Academy, the first higher educational establishment of the Eastern Slavs. It was founded in 1576 by Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn of Ostroh.

Ukraine was a motherland for Trypillian Civilization
Ukraine was a motherland for one of the world's most ancient civilizations Trypillian Civilization. Neolithic archaeological culture which existed between 5500 BC and 2750 BC on the territory of modern Ukraine

The world’s heaviest aircraft
The world’s heaviest aircraft is An-225 Mriya is created by the Kyiv-based Antonov design bureau. The plane was designed to airlift space shuttles and rocket boosters, however is now carrying oversized payloads.

World's First Constitution
In 1710, Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk introduced “Pacts and Constitutions of Rights and Freedoms of the Zaporizhian Host”, at that time a super-progressive document which meant to separate powers into three branches and regulate the rights and responsibilities of the government and citizens. Some researchers believe that this document is one of the world’s first constitutions. For example, U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1787 and French and Polish in 1791.